Even in another world, Once again, I couldn't win
by TehGramerPolise
Summary: Taking place after the events of Medaka Box, the manga. A Minus put into a world of Pluses. Is there happiness for a Minus? Do you believe that life is Plus-Minus-Zero?
1. Prologue

**Hiya! Sorry if you come here expecting a chapter for Learning to Human, but this is a plot bunny I've had for a long time now, and it was hard to write the other story with this in mind. So I finally just started to write it. Expect a new chapter next week. As for this story, please give me your feedback if you're interested; it's really hard to write these characters (though really fun), and your feedback powers that plot Energizer bunny!**

 **And as always, thanks to masterofbones and Ordon to reading through and giving their comments. Go check out Ordon's stuff!**

* * *

He wasn't sure where he had stepped into. The last thing he remembered was leaving the concert hall after Saki's encore. It was truly a motivational song, with a wonderful message, inspiring enough to even be a national anthem. A song that would persuade anyone, even him, to keep trying despite the circumstances. Which only made it that much more disheartening. To him, it felt like a curse. Her message resonated with him ad infinitum. _There's only victory because there's failure._ For him, a Minus, who has acquired nothing but failures, whom the world has arbitrarily decided he can only ever fail, that message was a burden that physical weighed him down, making it difficult to step forward, surpassing the weight of all his accumulated failures.

I want to win. But I can't win.

I want to win. But I can't win.

I want to win. But I can't win.

I want to win. But I can't win.

And to make him continue fighting despite that. He wanted to-

[...]

Which is why he decided. He decided to take on a challenge that he knew there would be no victory in. To stop leaving any and all records, to remove all traces of himself within the world. To hope that this final, futile challenge to himself will be able to remove his desire for victory, something that not even his Minus, All Fiction, could do.

Of course, before he had a chance to truly enact on that, he was thrown into an unfamiliar place, where the missing moon was replaced with a shattered moon. As if the world laughed at his attempt. To make him fail in even his attempt at removing his own yearning for victory. With the unchanging enduring frivolous smile on his face, he silent muttered to himself, [Once again, I couldn't win.]

His signature phrase disturbed the silence of the night, drawing the attention of a creature of with glowing red eyes as it emerged from the trees. Its body jet-black, its form resembled that of a wolf. Standing up on two legs, it was about as tall as an adult male, with bone-like spikes protruding from every limb. One look and he could tell it was unnatural, the disgusting snarl reinforcing its image of a twisted existence. The macabre creature lumbered towards him. As it drew closer, it raised an arm, the grotesquely long claws gleaming in the pale moonlight. With a howl, it bought the razor-sharp claws down to impale him.

He had no reason to stop it. He needed to test if All Fiction still worked. If it did, there was only one person he knew who could be the culprit for his current situation. He had to die to meet her; no matter how many times he died, it was too scary, difficult, and painful to kill himself. And with much **PAIN** , he allowed the creature's claws to pierce him right through his heart. He slouched down and slumped to the ground as blood floods out of the hole in his body… all while holding his unchanging smile.

* * *

The pain dissipated. Opening his eyes, he confirmed he was, once again, sitting at his desk of the old familiar classroom, the limbo he returned to whenever he died. He was wearing the same Suisou uniform. The desks that were arranged perfectly symmetrically. The untouched blackboard. And…

He had not returned to this classroom after her death. Maybe because he didn't want to acknowledge it. Maybe it was because he began to fear his own death. Or maybe he just didn't want to have her see him. He could think of countless other reasons why he never came back. In a way, they were all reasons and not reasons at all.

All he knew was that, when he looked up to see the unoccupied podium, without the presence of the one he hated, the one he loved, the one that admonished, mocked, provoked, bullied, encouraged, and ridiculed him, he could only describe his feeling as sorrow.

Not wanting to disturb the clean serenity of the classroom, he got up from the desk without saying a word. Only to have his face smashed through the wooden table.

"Are you going to leave without even saying hello? I'm hurt, you know."

Removing his face splattered with splinters from the desk, he turned to face her… or rather, her shoe. Only to get another kick, this time planting his face onto the floor, creating a decent sized crater. [Ajimu…]

"It's rude to look up a girl's skirt, you know. Even if it's you. And since we're acquainted, call me Anshin'in."

Standing back up, he used the cuff of his uniform to wipe the blood off his face and eyes, to finally be able to see the one he was looking for. She was sitting on top of the cabinets. With brown eyes with her long, dark brown hair tied together with two yellow ribbons. Wearing her sailor uniform with a dark red skirt. With a smile that would have made her more popular than the heroines of To Love-Ru. [I really had thought you died, you know. When Medaka returned and you didn't, I thought you had left us forever.] Tears started streaming out from the corners of his eyes. [Why did you have to play with my heart so?]

He started running towards her, intending to tackle her and give her a hug. Of course, to be expected, he immediately received another swift kick to the face; this time, he recovered much faster. "Stop it with your fake tears. I just wanted to mess with you."

Pushing himself up off the ever growing crater on the floor, he wiped away his crocodile tears. [Why did you send me here, Anshin'in?]

"Getting straight to the point, aren't you?" The corners of her lips curl up as her smile grows. "I'm sure the readers would appreciate that, but don't you want to enjoy our reunion a bit more? Come here, I'll even let you hug me for 0.0001 second." She reached out her hands for an embrace.

[...] Even knowing it was an obvious bait, he still took it. After all, he was a proper boy in that regard. Dashing forward, he jumped into her outreached hands, only to land onto the… comfortable warmth of her body.

"How is it?"

[It's soft.]

"With that little service-" As she lets him go, he is reminded of the reason why he fell in love with her in the first place. "To answer your question, I need you to answer me truthfully: why have you given up on winning?"

[...] Dropping his textbook practiced smile, his shoulders slumped down dejectedly; he ceased his usual speech pattern, the desire to hide his true feelings gone. "It's too painful, Anshin'in. Even in my only victory, it was Medaka that made it happen. I couldn't call it my own. To make me keep wanting to win, even if I could never make it happen, isn't that too cruel?"

Holding up her arm by the elbow, she points up in a hand gesture as if she were lecturing him. "Of course. But that has never bothered you before. You've always known you could never win. So why was this the breaking point?" She drops her smile, and asks her question with her usual callous and cold kindness. "Stop hiding yourself, coward. This is your heart inside a dream, where no one else can know your true intentions. Tell me why you really gave up."

"..." He placed his hand near his bicep, where a certain armband would be. Closing his eyes, he bathed in the countless memories of his most enjoyable losses. "There was always someone I wanted to beat. First, it was you, then the elites, and then Medaka. I always had a goal, to prove myself against someone else. Even if I didn't win... I was satisfied to still have had someone to properly lose to. But now that I've graduated, leaving that battleground, I don't even have that. There's no one I want to win against. Even if I were to win, there isn't any meaning in it."

She gave him a look of exasperation. "Are you stupid? If there isn't someone you want to win against, you find one. Medaka isn't the only one, you know… well, I suppose you did say you want to win against a main character, and you don't just find those lying around." Her smile returned with a more vicious twist, without any attempt in hiding her absolute confidence. "Well, lucky for you. This world I threw you in… I can say the main character is an overwhelming Plus, one that would even neutralize your Minus."

"..."

"Well, at first, I didn't have much of a reason to throw you into this world, outside of just wanting to mess with you. To see if you would destroy it on a whim. Or maybe even join the villains. It would be just like you." The thought broadened her smile. "I should have known you would even lose in the tutorial level." With a spring in her step, she hopped off the cabinet and pointed straight at him. "But you were never one to move predictably. You have changed. You won't just carelessly and shamelessly destroy anymore."

"I see. Even now, I am still subjected to your whims." With a wave over his face, his smile returned like magic. [The world has decided that a Plus is always greater than a Minus. A Plus will always be more wanted, more diligent, more talented, more beautiful, more just, and more powerful than a Minus. However, that same world has no control, no understanding, and no say in our struggle.

Even if the world decided that we are unwanted, we will seek love with zeal.

Even if the world decided that we are lazy, we will toil away for empty achievements.

Even if the world decided that we are untalented, we will hold our inferiority with pride.

Even if the world decided we are repulsive, we will find an attraction towards each other.

Even if the world decided we are unjust, we will show there is no evil in following our ideology.

Even if the world decided we are weak, we will struggle against the strong.

Even if the world decided that we have lost, we will seek out victory.]

With a restored fatalistic confidence, he turned his back to her and started walking out towards the classroom. Pushing open the sliding door, he tilted his head back and over his shoulder to give one last declaration.

[If you say there is a Plus that can neutralize my Minus, then I will show you how impossible that is. One's life cannot possibly be Plus-Minus-Zero.] He boldly strolls out.

"In your attempt to act cool, you lost some logic in your message." Walking towards the podium, she continued talking to no one in particular. "I suppose that is why I began having some expectations of you in the first place."

Pulling out a leather chair, she sat down cross legged, holding up her head while leaning onto the support; her smile transformed into a sneer. "Well, to a Not Equal like me, wins or losses, main characters or antagonists, weakness or strength, they are all equally meaningless." She faced towards the window as if she was speaking to a third party. "Then again, I suppose there is some meaning for trying to give some happiness to my cute little brother."

…

...

"Ehh, you're still here?" Anshin'in tilted her head inquisitively. "I don't have much more for you, you know. Though, I can probably guess what you're wondering… 'What fun is there to watch someone who only loses?' But that has already been proven to be interesting, you know. What was it… Ah, it's like the opposite of _One Punch Man_."

"And besides… it was in his own world that he had no choice but to lose. Who knows what might happen here? Thankfully (and interestingly) enough, he hasn't realized it yet. Well, I guess you can say… he's a loveable natural born loser like that, right?

Sticking out her tongue in a silly smile and holding a peace sign sideways, she winks while holding a nauseatingly sweet and disconcerting smile. "So keep reading. Maybe you'll find something interesting or entertaining in his perpetual losses. Or, how would that cursed woman say it… 'So, take heed: there will be no victory in strength.'"

* * *

The Beowolf began sniffing the body. Instinctively, it found it strange that there was no resistance. And so, it bit into the corpse's arm, to ensure it had truly died. With no reaction, it began to walk away, just as its brethren started arriving, attracted by the scent of negativity.

A strange sound behind it. It had no time to react before something metallic pierced through its face. [Ta-da! It's All-Fiction! My destruction is now nothing!]

As the creature's body slumped to the ground and began disintegrating, he poked at it with a finger like a child playing with bugs for the first time. When the rest of the pack started to surround him, he stood back up to and wiped the dust off his pants. [I see that you are all just somebody's puppets. With just one quick look, and I can see all your weak points; there's so many, I can't help but feel if somebody deliberately made you like that. Perhaps if you had some form of consciousness, I wouldn't have to do this.] Two gigantic screws the size of his arms materialize in his hands. [After all, I'm on the side of the weak.]

The creatures could not understand what he was saying. However, they all recognized him as dangerous. He had just slain one of their kin and killing intent exuded from him. They all rushed him-

To no avail. To any observer, the battle had ended before it begun. As soon as the Beowolves took a step towards him, oversized screws of all types pierced through them, without resistance. They all died before even knowing what had killed them.

[Hey, you were the ones that ruined my shirt.] He looked at his blood caked, no longer white shirt. [And you forced me to meet someone I hated more than anyone else. Your deaths… I'm not sorry, because it's not my fault.]

As expected, there was no reply from the creatures. The impaled screws made sure of that. With his Minus, the blood disappeared from his shirt, as if it was never there at all. Rubbing his chin contemplatively, he considers his next course of action, before letting out a sigh. [For a Minus, this is too much to ask for. For Kumagawa Misogi, this is impossible… It's time to try and get a job.]

* * *

 **And that's a wrap! Tell me what you guys think! And yes, in accordance to the RWBY universe, there will be a ship (currently deciding between two).**


	2. Chapter 1: 1 Plus 1 Equals 2

**Enjoy.**

* * *

 _[Someone once said 'One's life is plus-minus-zero.' Saying that even an elite feels sadness and happiness- or saying a happy human also goes through a certain amount of hardship-is essentially the same thing. So I presume he wants to say that everybody is equal._

 _But the one who said 'one's life is plus-minus-zero...' must be a plus._

 _It was because he was happy that he could say a philosophical phrase like that. At least, we Minuses couldn't think that way because if there were good things, all the bad things would turn into nothingness._

 _It's nothing. I just want all happy and Plus people to have a taste of what we feel.]_

* * *

Roman did not like having to alter his plans. Being a criminal mastermind, however, he understood that plans were often times just outlines, and so concessions and adaptations will sometimes have to be made. However, that acknowledgement did little to assuage his frustration as he watched a little girl in a red hood outmaneuver and beat down his hired muscle.

Roman attempted to repress the incoming headache, trying not think too hard about his employer's… disappointment, and the reprimanding that would come from the robbery's failure. He gave a kick to one of the men on the ground; the helper remained unconscious. "You were worth every cent. Truly, you were. Well, Red, I think we can all say it's been an eventful evening. And as much as I'd love to stick around… I'm afraid-"

[Ah, sorry to interrupt, but… you're in my way. You see, it's getting late, and the shop behind you is the last remaining shop open this late for me to buy my Weekly Shonen Jump. So, if you would excuse me...]

Facing towards the direction of the voice, Roman swung around to see a boy walking towards him. The stranger's face was obscured by the shadows; as he stepped forward, the darkness clung onto him, as if refusing to let go. When the light finally reluctantly came into contact with him, it revealed a boy of unremarkable stature. Wearing a simple plain white t-shirt and long black pants, his appearance alone could be described as ordinary. However-

He looked at the boy's expression and immediately regretted the decision; a shiver went down Roman's spine as every one of his instincts and accumulated experience screamed for him to run. The boy had an innocent smile on his face, unconcerned with the bodies littered around the ground; it was a type of smile that Roman knew much too well. It was a false smile not just made to deceive others, but to deceive themselves. And as he walked up fearlessly, Roman knew that he was the most dangerous person here.

Taking aim with his weapon, he immediately launched a shot at the intruder. The girl in red started moving as soon as he took aim, instantaneously reacting and launching herself towards the boy, trying to shield him from the blast. Using the dust cloud and disruption as a distraction, Roman tried to make his getaway- only to notice he was pinned down.

Confused, he took a look at his body; several types of oversized sheet metal screws held him down, piercing through his clothes and into the pavement. He immediately began struggling, trying to tear out the strange weapons that were immobilizing him, only to realize that whoever was behind the bizarre restraints had chosen to place them to make a fast escape impossible. As the distant cry of sirens drew closer, he understood that today... was one terrible illustration of Murphy's Law.

* * *

"Look out!" Ruby dashed towards the boy as soon as she saw the shot get fired. Sure, it was strange that he would approach the scene of a crime so nonchalantly, but that doesn't mean he should be hurt for it. Realizing she could not push him out of the way in time, she pushed him onto the ground and used her body and Aura to protect him from the blast. Most of the shrapnel was intercepted by her Aura, but she felt three sharp stings on her back for the ones that slipped past her defense.

Despite the strange situation the two have landed in, the boy appears unperturbed as he maintained his smile. [Oi, oi, using your body to shield me, are you trying to be a self-sacrificing hero? I didn't ask or need to be saved, you know. And so, those injuries... It's not my fault.]

Ruby was starting to get weirded out by how calm the boy appeared, but his final statement bothered her more than that observation. "Of course not! You were just passing by! It is the job of a Huntress to save others! Well, I'm not a Huntress yet, but..."

There is a momentary pause before the boy burst into tears. [Wow! How noble! I never thought someone like you would exist! You must tell me your name!]

"Umm… I'm Ruby Rose…" As things settled down, she realized just how close her face was to his. As she clumsily pushed herself up while avoiding eye contact, she tried her best to organize her thoughts. "Oh, sorry about pushing you down so suddenly! I know you said you didn't need help, but I was already moving by the time that he fired and… wait, that guy, he's going to get away!"

As he gets up, Ruby turned around to face the perpetrator. However, she found that there was no need to rush, as the criminal was already pinned down by a multitude of gigantic screws. Looking around, she noticed that the only two people that were still conscious was her and the boy. "Did you stop him?"

[Ehhh? To do something so heroic like stopping a criminal? That can't be me.] He tilted his head skeptically. [Then again, I might have done something like that. You know, for justice or love or something of that sort.]

Ruby looked at the criminal again. With much struggling, the man was able to remove the screw that held down his arm, only to have another screw materialize to take its place. She put one and one together. "Are you a Huntsman?"

[Yes, how did you know? That is exactly what I am, a Huntsman! Now, if you would tell me what a Huntsman is, I will tell you precisely how I am one.]

She couldn't hide her shock at his answer. "Wait, how do you not know what a Huntsman is? Everyone that lives in Remnant knows about them! And that ability has to be a semblance!"

The boy looked at her blankly, before dropping to sit on the pavement dejected; he curled up in his legs while tracing imaginary circles onto the ground with his fingertips. [I'm sorry I don't know anything. I've lived something of a sheltered life.]

A pang of guilt struck her when she saw his crestfallen reaction. _Oh no! I didn't mean to be so judgmental! So what if he is a bit weird and naive? I've been called those same things before!_ "Um, um, it's okay! Maybe it's more common than I thought! How about I answer those questions for you while we wait for the police?

He looked up at her, with tears formed at the corners of his eyes. [Really?]

She sat down next to him, trying to give him the most reassuring and encouraging smile possible. "Really! Really really! Don't worry about it!" Pausing, she realized he hasn't introduced himself yet. "Umm… what is your name?"

Wiping away the tears, he answered her. [Kumagawa Misogi.]

She reached out for a handshake. "Nice to meet you! I'm Ruby Rose." Taking her hand, he shook it up and down enthusiastically, but as he hesitated as he lets go. "Is something wrong?"

[Yes. But there's nothing that could be done.] He shrugged nonchalantly. [You just reminded me of someone I knew.] Before she could inquire further, the criminal once more undid his bindings, scrambling to his feet. However, before he could even take a step away, the screws came down, creating a steel cage to hold him back in place. [Now let's talk, you charming, cute, considerate, and charitable girl.]

With the criminal firmly captured, she decided not to worry about him running away. As soon as that worry was alleviated, another came up as she realized that he just called her cute, and she couldn't help but blush. "Eh heh…" Trying to divert attention from her reddening face, she looked down and hurriedly blubbered out a reply. "I'm not that cute."

[No, no. I dare to say that you're the cutest girl I've met in this entire world!] She covered up her face as she felt the warmth growing on her cheeks. [Well, if I keep going, we won't be able to have a decent conversation, so I'll stop.]

After embarrassingly nodding in agreement, she began answering the numerous questions he had. Questions about Huntsman, semblances, Grimm, and combat schools. She quickly decided that most of Kumagawa's weirdness probably came from his sheltered-ness. It took her awhile to get accustomed to his strange manner of speaking, but, after that, he was surprisingly easy to get along with.

The most striking thing to her was how earnestly he was listening to her; even when she got sidetracked, talking about her dreams of heroism and being a Huntsman, he didn't comment about how ridiculous or impossible her ideal was. When she drew out a thought for far too long and didn't realize when to stop, he just let her finish without interruption or judgment… unlike at Signal. It felt like she was talking to an old friend after a long reunion. When the sirens drew closer, signalling the ending of their conversation and meeting, she even felt a bit sad.

She took a deep breath as she struggled to put the words together, her nervousness getting in the way. Fidgeting with her fingers while filled with uncertainty, she mustered up a small bit of courage and decided to go for it. "This may seem really weird, considering we just met, and we had this whole awkward incident before this, and this is a really really really roundabout way of asking, but, but... can we be friends?" Putting up her best puppy face, she looked at him expectantly.

Standing back up and dusting the dirt off his pants, he answered her decisively. [No.] Her shoulders slumped down at the rejection; she wanted to bury herself in a hole somewhere and just die from embarrassment. [After all, helping me, answering my questions, and gifting me with your kindness- Aren't we friends already?]

Hearing that, her mood flipped one-eighty degrees; she bounced up and grabbed his hands, hopping around excitedly. "I promise you won't regret this, and I'll be a great friend, the bestest one you've ever had."

Despite being jerked around wildly, his smile stayed unwavering. [I look forward to it.] He answered simply.

* * *

When Glynda heard about another one of Roman Torchwick's heists, she became quite irritated. What bothered her wasn't even how dangerous or destructive he is, but more of the man's aggravating traits of being extremely slippery and unscrupulous. The felon had evaded capture for the last three months, while constantly targeting and raiding Dust shops; the damages and Dust shortage he has caused has made him currently one of the three most wanted individuals in Vale. As she moved towards the crime scene, she could feel an oncoming migraine just thinking about all the paperwork that would arise from the injuries, destruction of property, and another botched capture.

However, she was taken back when she arrived in the crime scene; not only was Torchwick captured, but he was pinned down by what looked like an assortment of oversized screws. Several men in suits laid on the pavement unconscious, whom she quickly deduced to be his partners-in-crime. Standing besides them were a boy and girl, with the latter hopping up and down while yanking on the boy's arms. This scene reminded her of something from one of the avant garde films that Ozpin often dragged her to, of a budding romance arising from a joint dangerous heroic adventure.

She did not approve.

The two youths finally noticed the police cars that had followed and arrived after her. With a tint of red on her face, the girl broke contact and began walking towards her, with the boy following slightly behind. Glynda barked an order out to the policemen. "Take Roman into custody. We'll interrogate him later." With a nod, the two officers walked over and started prying out the screws, albeit with some difficulty.

Once the two kids arrived in front of her, she showed them her Huntress ID. "I am Glynda Goodwitch, a Huntress that works closely with the Vale Police Department. I have come here for the capture and arrest of Roman Torchwick. As witnesses to the crime scene, I request that you two to accompany me back to the station for questioning."

The petite girl squealed in excitement. "Did you hear that, Kumagawa? She's a real Huntress!" She looked up at Glynda with an endearing smile, eyes shining with admiration. "Can I have your autograph?"

[Can I as well? I too, have nothing but adoration for the work you do!] The boy followed suit, with a similar smile plastered on his face. However, compared to the girl's obvious sincerity, the boy disingenuous reverence and smile created a rather unpleasant dissonance. She wanted to comment on it, but she knew there were civilians that were less than pleased about the Huntsmen's recent failed captures, and decided against it.

As she looked at him more closely, she felt this pricking sensation, a feeling that something was unusual about him, but she could not pinpoint its origin. She decided to send a quick message to Ozpin informing and preparing him to question the two children; he has a particular interest in strange people. "This was a very dangerous and volatile situation, one that must be handled with care and through procedure. Please take this seriously." She could not help but let the scowl showed through her face. "Follow me."

With a whimper, the two sauntered behind her and into the car. Though the girl was dispirited, as she started talking with the boy named Kumagawa, she instantly returned to being in high-spirits- though it appeared the dialogue was split eighty-twenty. As Glynda drove towards the station, she was able to pick up small pieces of their conversation; she noticed the weapon the girl carried on her back, as well as describing her experiences at Signal Academy, and drew the conclusion she was probably a Huntress in training. The two had apparently just met, and barring of the boy's strange speech pattern, he appeared quite ordinary; she deduced that he was probably just an innocent bystander.

Finally reaching the station, she parked the car next to the other police vehicles before getting out. As the kids left the car, she received an ominous message from Ozpin, one that was unexpected based on what she had just observed.

 _The boy is dangerous. Separate and quarantine him as soon as possible._

* * *

Ozpin locked the door behind him. He had just finished up the conversation with Ruby Rose about her enrollment into Beacon Academy, and Glynda was helping her finish up the paperwork for her admission. Walking through the hallway and into the next interrogation room, his feet felt heavy at the thought of the impending meeting. He had expended every possible resource available to him to find information about this Kumagawa, but the results only bought up more questions than answers.

Not to mention anything of the boy's expression and aura. How he perpetually had a smile on his face… it was much too unnatural. Standing in front of the door, he reached for the doorknob, and for the first time in his distant memory, he felt uncertain as to how to proceed. However, he was resolved to acquire some answers, one way or another.

Turning the knob, he walked in and took a seat to face the boy across the table from him. "Good evening. I am Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy. I'd like to thank you for answering our questions regarding the capture of Roman Torchwick, but I still have a few other questions for you. To begin… Who are you?"

[Hmm? Didn't I answer that already? My name's Kumagawa Misogi.] He tilted his head in confusion. [Ah, unless you mean philosophically? I'm the type of person to believe the cup is half empty, but it really should be completely empty.]

 _Considering this is the first question, and it's just answering his name, there should be no reason for him to lie. Especially since…_ "Well, Mr. Kumagawa, I looked up the records across the four kingdoms, and your name and description do not match any of them. You can understand my skepticism."

Kumagawa just shrugged in response, uninterested in proving himself. [It's the truth. Since I hate lies, I will never lie.]

 _I doubt that._ "Then, let's put aside the question of your identity for now." Ozpin took out his scroll, and fast forward a video past Ruby's fight and to Roman's capture by being pinned down by screws. "We know what Ruby's semblance is; the logical conclusion means you were the one that materialized these screws. However-" The video shows the scene where Ruby gets up; as she turned around to look for Roman, the three pieces of sharp shrapnel on her back disappear. "Her wounds were also healed, without you conjuring any screws. Which means you are in possession of two distinct abilities… Something semblances cannot do. Perhaps the better question to ask is… what are you?"

[At the risk of sounding repetitive, I'm Kumagawa Misogi, a regular human that you would find anywhere.] Without a change in his expression, he stood up. [Now that I think about it, why am I am answering you, anyway?] Two screws materialized in his grip. [I can just break myself out of this. So, could you please die?] With a smile on his face, Kumagawa jumped across the table, and lunged at him with weapon in hand.

Nonchalantly and without even leaving his seat, Ozpin pulled up his cane to block the attack; with a forceful flick of his wrist, he quickly disarmed him before using his cane to deflect the several other dozen screws that materialized and flew towards him. "I see there's no room for negotiations. Then-"

[Are you stupid? I was just testing you.] Kumagawa returned to his seat and crossed his legs up on the table. [Where I'm from, this much is at least expected of a greeting. After all, there's no point in negotiations if I can just take what I want.]

Ozpin warily lowered lowered his cane, maintaining his high level of caution. "Where you're from?" Ozpin recalled the historical records; there was no mention of a culture or school where an assault could be considered a greeting.

[Ah, I guess you would want to know that. I'll answer this question as a freebie; I'm from another world, taken here by a nonhuman omnipotent Non-Equal.] Despite the absurdity of the statement, there was no way for Ozpin to hide his surprise; with how casually, nonchalantly, trivially, and self-assuredly he dropped that declaration, Ozpin was convinced, if only just for a moment. Kumagawa waggled a finger at him and winked.

[Just kidding! There's no way that could be true! Well, even if I were to tell you the truth, you wouldn't believe me. You didn't come here to ask me questions you don't expect answers to; so, what's the thing you really want from me?]

Ozpin racked his brain for how to handle this entity in front of him. _With his strange behavior and relatively outlandish claims… without any evidence, none of what he is said could be trusted or believed._

His only reliable way to judge the boy was based on his actions, which consists of Glynda's report on what happened and this conversation here. _He is destructive, unpredictable, and spontaneous, with too many unknowns surrounding him. I could just kill him… but, helping to catch Roman, his amiability with Ruby, and his patience to at least answer my questions, even if not fully honestly, has brought forth one conclusion: Kumagawa can be reasoned with. With his multiple abilities, I need a place that can both observe, control, and perhaps even make use of him..._ As he considered the possibilities, Ozpin stifled a groan at how much of a problem child he was going to be- even when compared to the other Huntsmen-in-training at his school.

"As I've stated before, I am the headmaster of Beacon Academy, one of the most prestigious schools that train Hunters and Huntresses to protect the world. I do not know if any of what you've said is the truth... However, I believe that you have the ability. If you have the will or desire, then I would like for you to attend."

Kumagawa stroked his chin contemplatively. [Protect the world, huh?]

 _That raised his interest?_ "Yes. Huntsmen fight against the Grimm, protecting the world from all its threats. They are synonymous with the term 'heroes.'" Ozpin pushed further. "If you attend my school, you will be considered one of those privileged few. Do you wish to be a hero, Kumagawa?"

[I see. Those are good words.] Tilting and leaning his head forward, his bangs created a shadow over his eyes as they narrowed at him. [But, people who say good words… they aren't necessarily good people. In other words, aren't you saying you're on the side of the heroes, of justice? A threat, that you educate and control those with power? That if I were to refuse, I would be on the opposing side?]

 _Curious. There are few at his age that could read into that intent. Whoever he is, he's no ordinary child. This boy… he has piqued my interest._ "Nothing of that sort. I am simply seeking prospective students and heroes; that is all."

Kumagawa hums in consideration, not giving any indication to accepting or rejecting. After a few seconds, he lightly taps his fist on his open palm, as if he reached some sort of revelation. [Then I would accept your offer, but only if it includes food and housing.]

 _He was just worried about the underlying threat in my offer, but in the end, he decides on something relatively trivial? Trying to glean anything from what he said is difficult, if not futile. This person… just what is his underlying mechanism? What creed does he follow? These unknowns only add to my curiosity._ Ozpin nodded as he considered the various ways to further study him. "That can be arranged."

Kumagawa started to reach for a handshake, before changing his mind and pulling back. [Ahh. But I am the type of person that hates moving to another's will. So, even if your offer seems so appealing, part of me -absolutely- wants to refuse.] He scratched his head, unsure what to do. Then, as if he got some sort of idea, he rummaged his pockets for for a five lien coin. [In the end, most of life can be decided based on luck. Wouldn't it appropriate if this was the case as well?] He flipped the coin before Ozpin could get another word in. [Call it.]

 _I see. The phrase, 'expect the unexpected,' seems to be made for him._ Deciding to stop attempting to predict his actions without gleaning more about him, Ozpin decided to play along and reflexively answered. "Heads."

The world appeared to slow down as the coin tumbled through the air. Objectively, the result is only one of many other countless coin tosses; it is only one drop, one possibility that is tossed into the cosmic bucket. But as it landed on the table with a pitter-pat, it felt like the very fate of the world depended on the result.

In silence, not even the sound of breathing could be heard as Ozpin looked at the result: it came up heads.

[Ah, what a shame. Looks like, once again, I couldn't win.] Kumagawa extended his hands out in an exaggerated fashion, disappointed at the result. Ozpin looked up from the result to see his face- only to realize Kumagawa had his eyes closed the entire time. [Then, I'll move to according to your manipulation. I"ll attend Beacon Academy.] The boy reached out for a handshake.

 _To not even look at the result… Did he calculate this result? Know ahead of time? Was the coin toss irrelevant to his decision? Without him doing anything in particular, he gives off an unsettling feeling._ Ozpin looked at the outreached hand. _My instincts tell me to not have anything to do with him; just asking to shake his hand feels like a trap. However... he can be used. Not to mention, with what he said and how he acted, fighting seems to be a natural part of how he communicates. If I step down, and don't accept this handshake..._ With his best poker face, Ozpin accepted the handshake. "Welcome to my school."

It was only for a brief second, but Ozpin noticed the boy stopped smiling, as if surprised by what he did. But the smile reappeared so quickly that Ozpin doubted that he saw it at all. [Okay. I'll join your little playground of Pluses, heroes that want to save the world. But just keep as a reminder…] His smile twisted and distorted into a sneer. [To me, a Minus, the world means nothing.]

 _The world means nothing?_ Even without having him step into the school, Ozpin already started having second thoughts about his offer. "I see. Perhaps you would change that perspective at our school."

[I would be quite happy if that was the case.] Kumagawa stood up and walked towards the door. [Oh, that reminds me. I forgot to correct you on something. A positive ability like healing- can't possibly be born from a twisted existence like me.] As he reached the door and reached for the doorknob, he twisted his head back and over his shoulder as continued, [My ability, my Minus, always ensures that I have the worst outcome. My Minus is- is- is…] He started shaking the knob, and stopped after he realized it was locked; he pointed at the camera at the corner of the room. [Come on, can't you learn to read the mood? That was a perfect moment for scene or chapter break!] An insincere and unbelievable pout appeared on his face. [Forget it, I've lost the mood to finish that thought.]

Even as he was baffled by the boy's action, Ozpin's mind raced to understand what he said. _One of his abilities isn't healing? But… no, there's no point in thinking about that now. Putting him under my close watch with as many opportunities for him to use his abilities; the plan does not change: I need more information._ "I apologize, Mr. Kumagawa. However, we still have to fill out your enrollment forms."

[Oh.] Without another word, he returned to his seat and recovered that cheap smile of his. [So, what else do you want to know, Mr. Ozpin sir?]

* * *

Kumagawa walked out of the police station, casually sauntering out with his hands in his pockets. He could not say anything that happened today was expected; however, to him, the unexpected always held a type of charm to it. Just like reading the next chapter of Weekly Shonen Jump, he reveled in the surprise that came from flipping to the next page.

[But that really was surprising. I never thought I'd meet two people that are willing to shake hands with me.] Before, every time he offered out for a handshake, save for a few exceptions, the person in question would pull back at the last second, disgusted and repulsed by the idea of making contact with him.

[Especially that girl. So trusting. Self-sacrificing. Such a strong sense of justice. Are you planning to devote your life living for others? It's like seeing another Medaka.] His smile transformed into a smirk. [But that naivety… I don't hate it.]

At this point, he had returned to the main street; despite it being so late out, there were still people walking about, giving him weird looks as he talked to himself. Some had even crossed over to avoid being on the same side of the sidewalk as him. [Then there was Mr. Ozpin. He definitely felt how much of a danger I am. I honestly expected him to fight me after I attacked him. The look on his face when he sees me undoing my destruction, to know the rules of his world are twisted and distorted… that would have been enjoyable. But I suppose life never goes the way I want. After all, how could I have known that the man's weakness was his own kindness? Even Medaka, who loved everyone, didn't have that weakness.]

With the two interesting people he met, he realized he wanted to act on his once-in-a-lifetime good mood. Skipping and humming on his back to his apartment, even the five extra muggings and three threats on his life did nothing to ruin that mood (even more so when they ran off much faster than usual, as he walked at them with the knife still embedded in his chest). Reaching the front of the apartment, he opened the door and walked into the dainty little run-down room he called home. As he took off his shoes, he felt like he had forgotten something...

[Ah, that's right, in the end, I never did get my Weekly Shonen Jump. Nor did I, disappointingly, get that cute girl's number. To top it all off, I was once more roped into joining a school of elites.] With a smile, he gently closed the door behind him.

[Looks like, once again, I couldn't win.]

 **Kumagawa Misogi**  
 **Class: Minus 3-13**  
 **Bloodtype: AB**  
 **Transfer Student**

* * *

 **And that's the chapter! I tried to write Kumagawa as close to character as possible: He's a confusing, hard to handle person, that most people would avoid coming in contact with. Since this is post-Medaka Box, we can see that his obvious lies/revolting is used mostly for humor, and not used for him to be like a Lovecraftian existence. Hopefully I remained true to his character.**

 **As always, thanks to Ordon and lordofbones for reviewing this chapter.**


	3. Chapter 2: I Can't Have Friends

**Here it is.**

* * *

There was a combination of several reasons why he was leaning over the side of the airship, emptying the contents of his stomach. It was a combination of the uncertainty and nervousness in the way he was able to sneak into the school, fear of being exposed, but largely because of the fact that he was 10,000 feet above the ground. He always had an issue with airsickness since he was a child, but the judgment-filled stares that everyone was giving him only compounded the problem; he felt nothing but out of place as his nervousness overwhelmed him.

"Okay Jaune, you can do this. Make a good impression. You're going to be judged and evaluated starting today for the next four years. Make them good." His body involuntarily forced him to hurl again, with the puke containing whatever remained of his breakfast descending off the side of the airship, quickly becoming a dot in the distance; he barely held onto the railing as his knees grew weaker. "And… this is not a good first impression."

Trying to find some solace, he took a look at his sword holstered on his belt, the family heirloom he grabbed in the last second before he left the house. Without any practice on it, it may as well be an oversized and overweight stick. But he had hope that some part of his family's legacy or latent talent had passed down to him, and grabbing the sword would help him realize it. But now, glancing at it again, and comparing himself to everyone else around, it just seemed to mock him at his lack of training and preparation.

His body shook violently as he could feel another spasm coming through. However, before his body could regurgitate any more fluids that may still be remaining, a boy wearing a black button-up shirt and black pants walked up to him and patted him on the back. [Are you okay? You're not contemplating jumping, right? If you want to die, you should do it someplace where it doesn't bother anyone.]

"What? No! I just wanted to go somewhere where my vomiting wouldn't disturb anyone!" Gripping the railings tighter, he consciously braced himself for another convulsion, but it never came. "Huh?"

[Oh, thank goodness! That's what I thought you were doing. Lucky for you, I know a way to help!] The boy gave him a solid smack on the back, causing Jaune to literally wrap his arms around the railings in order to not fall off. [You know, acupuncture or massage or something like that.]

"Oh, uhhh… Thanks." Jaune did feel a lot better; at the very least, the sickening feeling at the pit of his stomach had went away. "I wasn't really expecting anyone to approach me. Nice to meet you, my name's Jaune Arc."

[Likewise. Name's Kumagawa Misogi.] The boy leaned back against the railing, running his hand across his hair as he struck an aloof posture. As he looked off to the distance, he said, [What a wonderful view we have here. Aren't you glad you came?]

Aiming to emulate him, Jaune struck a similar pose as he looked towards the sky. "Most of the time I'm too sick to notice, but you're right." Taking a deep breathe, he put his full attention into appreciating the scenery. "It's a different perspective, seeing the buildings the size of ants, feeling the sky close enough as if you could reach out and grab it. Makes you feel glad to be alive to experience all of this."

[...] Kumagawa looked at him, tilting his head inquisitively. [I believed you have misunderstood me. The scenery I speak of is one of a much more primal nature. One which appeals to men across creeds and culture. You see, when a nice gust of wind flows, that which tickles a man's fancy appears; I am, of course, referring to a panty shot.]

Jaune was stunned for a second; his words failed him as he stared at Kumagawa blankly. _That's… kinda weird. But it's not like it's a crime to be perverted._ As another breeze set in, Kumagawa leered at another girl as her skirt upturned. The girl being observed sent him a look of revulsion before walking back down to the cabin. _And I'm guessing I'm not the only reason why people started leaving the deck. But he's can't be a bad person, right? Especially considering he did approach me to help me out._

"Huh. That's…uh, nice?." Trying to continue the conversation, his train of thought naturally lead to another next question. "Do you do this often? Look for these types of… opportunities?"

[Nope!] Jaune let out a sigh of relief as he briefly thought that Kumagawa might not be as his first impression might imply. [I tend to make my own opportunities.] The blonde resisted the temptation to bash his head against railings for his naive expectation. [Especially after today!] Kumagawa does a sweeping motion over the deck, for the few other passengers still here. [For whatever reason, this airship is filled with beauties! How could I resist?]

"Now that you mention it…" Taking a look around him, Jaune observed that the girls that still remained were definitely more physically attractive compared to the ones at his school. Upon his observation reaching the end of the deck, he locked eyes with one blonde beauty who simply rolled her eyes at him in disgust before turning her back to him. "But I don't think leering at them is a good way to… improve relations with them? And _I_ think I definitely have lost my chance already…"

[Art is in the eye of the beholder. Doesn't that mean we should simply observe art as it is?] Before Jaune could launch a single note of dispute, Kumagawa wrapped his arm around his neck and acted all buddy-buddy with him. [As for your chances… Nonsense! You're a strapping, confident young man who will be a Huntsman, a savior of the world. I doubt _one_ bad first impression is going to take that away from you.]

"Well…" He remained unconvinced.

[Besides, if you don't talk to them, you'll never get over their first impression of you!] Kumagawa's smile changed to a pout for a brief moment. [Are you planning on never talking to anyone at school? Besides-] He jumped up and down like a little kid. [Cute! Girls!]

"I guess…?" Whether it was that self-assured confidence or smile that got to him, Jaune slowly became more convinced. _My mom always said that girls would constantly send me Valentines; they were just too shy to give it to me in person…_ "I guess it can't hurt to at least talk to some of them…"

[Good! Now, let's see who's going to be our first -ahem- victim…]

* * *

The first day of school couldn't have started out any worse. She's messed up her first impression on everyone she's met so far, all thanks to her stupid clumsiness and awkwardness. This was her chance to make a debut, to really show off and make real friends for the first time, and she screwed it all up. Now, all she wanted to do was just roll around in this crater in self-loathing. Her thoughts shifted to the boy who had given a warm smile for her.

 _If only it was just as easy._ She let out a deep sigh. _If only Kumagawa was here…_ Suddenly, an outreached hand appeared in front of her. The angle of the sun made it difficult to make out their features, but to have any kindness extended out for her, she would graciously take it. Grabbing the hand, the stranger pulled her up. "Thank you. My name's Ruby Rose. Thanks for helping me up."

[Hello, Miss Rose.] The voice resonated within her eardrums, echoing in sweet familiarity. Still slightly in disbelief, she blinked a few times to ensure she was really seeing the same unchanging smile that she had hoped to see. Like stars aligning, it seemed like someone had answered her prayers. Before she could yell out in exhilaration, Kumagawa dragged someone else over and pushed him in front of her. [I'd like for you to meet Jaune Arc. Now, don't let the fact he threw up in the airship take away from the fact that he's a handsome natural blonde. I'll leave you two alone to-]

"Kumagawa!" The person introduced as Jaune yelled out. "You can't begin every single one of my introductions with that line!" Looking visibly upset, he threw out some light jabs at Kumagawa who recoiled, pretending like they truly did hurt.

Ruby said the first thing that came into mind. "Vomit-Boy?"

"Oh, come on!" Jaune threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. "How does everyone already know that nickname?"

[Well, I'm sure you two will have much to talk about. I'll leave you two be.]

However, Ruby grabbed his hand, stopping him as he was walking away. "Wait, Kumagawa. Don't you remember me?" It had only been a week, but Kumagawa was acting like he didn't recognize her.

[I'm sorry, have we met before?] Her shoulders slumped down in disappointment; the thought that only she saw some meaning in their miraculous reunion struck her. As if seeing her reaction, he gave her a knowing wink. [Just kidding! How I could I forget about the cutest girl I have ever met?] Ruby's eyes lit up at his response.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Jaune chimed in. "Did you two go to the same school or something?"

"Yup!" Ruby was more than enthused to answer. "Well, not going to the same school. We helped kick butt against Roman Torchwick, and it was the reason I was scouted for Beacon! But I didn't know you were going to attend Beacon too?"

[It seems we're in the same boat, then. Ozpin, too, had an eye out for my talent.] One did not have to be well-versed in body language to understand just how delighted Ruby was to hear that.

"Roman Torchwick, huh?" Jaune spoke up. "Didn't they mention him in the rebroadcast, how he finally got captured? Did you two do that?"

"Yup! I was all like 'Whatcha' and 'Wa-pow,' and Kumagawa was all like 'You're in my way,' and and…" Ruby looked down, tapping her feet together with an embarrassed rouge on her face. "It was really cool."

[No, no, I didn't do anything!] Kumagawa vehemently denied, waving his hands out in front of him. [She did all the work, swinging her scythe around and knocking out all the bad guys. She even used her body to protect me! How cool, right?]

Ruby's eyes darted around, unable to maintain eye contact with Kumagawa. Trying to take the attention off of her, she took out and began swinging her weapon around, trying to show off her skills. "Eh heh heh. It was only a little bit cool."

Jaune took a step back to avoid being beheaded by the weapon. "That is pretty cool. I have uhh…" He fumbled around for his weapon, taking a few seconds to pull out his sword. "This thing. The sheath can turn into a shield!" Proudly and boldly proclaiming that, he pressed a button that changed the sheath into a shield with an emblem of two crescent moons on it.

"That's-"

[Wow! A real sword and shield!] Jumping up and down while running circles around Jaune, Kumagawa took a close look at the weapon. [Yes, as I suspect, if you want to be a hero, the sword and shield combo is the ONLY way to go! How quaint! How cool!]

Initially a bit taken back, Jaune quickly gathered himself and puffed his chest in pride. "Yup. Passed through four generations too. Well, I-"

[It's even a family heirloom! Oh… my… god…! Jaune, you truly understand! If only you actually fell on that girl's-]

Jaune hands moved instantly to cover Kumagawa's mouth as soon as those words slipped. "So… uhh, it's nothing special, but that's my weapon." Despite being muffled, Kumagawa still attempted to continue his sentence, only looking satisfied after he finished speaking his unheard proclamation.

"I like it. Not much people have an appreciation for the classics these days." As if it were his turn, the two looked at Kumagawa patiently.

[Mm mmpn s mmm.] Looking proud, Kumagawa looks unfazed by the fact that Jaune is still covering up his mouth.

"Sorry, could you, uhh... repeat that?" Taking his hand away, Jaune started twiddling around with his weapon to put it back into its sheath. "I didn't exactly catch that."

Kumagawa rolled his eyes like they should have caught onto what he said. [My weapon is my own Minus self. Using my wits, personality, and gloomy-]

"Didn't you use screws?" Ruby interrupted him. "Sorry, I know you were leading into it, but I'm kind of a weapon's geek, so I got just a teensy bit impatient with wanting to see them again."

Kumagawa looked disappointed by the fact that he was interrupted. _Wait, I messed up! Maybe he really wanted to build it up?_ With a sigh, two enormous screws appeared in his hand. Before either of them can ask how or point out how unorthodox it was, he threw his weapons toward one of the pillars holding up an archway. Whizzing by, the screws embedded itself into the stone, looking extremely out of place compared to the classic architecture.

"Woah!" Jaune jumped back slightly, not expecting an immediate demonstration. "Was it okay to do that? Didn't you just damage the structure?"

[It's fine. They'll disappear in a bit.] Kumagawa wiped off some nonexistent dust off his shirt. [Anyway, that's my… umm-] He struggled to find the right word.

"Semblance." Ruby quickly helped him finish that thought. "And, Kumagawa, I know you don't know much about the world, but I'm pretty sure damaging buildings is a bad thing to do."

[Oh. Well, as I said, the screws will disappear in time.]

The lightbulb went off in Jaune's head. "Wait, the screws may be gone, but what about the ho-"

[You know.] Kumagawa interrupted him; the smile changed into a slight smirk as he said that. [Now that I look around, there's no one near us. Are you sure we're going in the right direction?]

The two looked at him blankly.

"I thought you knew where you were going."

"You looked so confident walking forward that I just followed you."

[Ah, you should know that I always act confident, even if I'm oblivious.] With that declaration, the three of them looked at each other before giving a slight nod; breaking off into a run, they dashed towards the nearest building in hopes of getting directions.

* * *

"Whew, we made it!" Jaune was bent over, desperately panting for any vestiges of air. The people around the auditorium shot him a look, but soon returned to their own conversations.

Kumagawa followed through the door behind him, slightly short of breath. [I don't know why you were in a hurry. I was confident we would make it on time.]

"We would make it on time?!" Practically screaming at the top of his lungs, Jaune once again drew the gazes of everyone. "We spent ten minutes following you without realizing you were looking for a slice of bread!"

With a smirk on his face, Kumagawa waggled his finger sideways and proudly replied. [You mean a piece of toast. If we had found it, we would have gotten here much faster.]

"What… how…?"

[Have you no respect for tradition? We were late for the first day of school. _How else would we obtain our destined encounter?]_

"Our what?" Letting out a sigh, Jaune put a hand on Kumagawa's shoulder. "Listen. I know we've only known each other for less than an hour, but, I have to say this now. Sometimes… you just make zero sense."

[You… you don't understand?] Covering his face with both his hands, Kumagawa ran off with tears streaming off from the corner of his face. [Jaune, you idiot!]

"Wait, Kumagawa!" As he shouted out, he realized there were some gazes on him. Looking around, people refused to make eye contact, whispering among themselves. He overheard one of them say, "So that's the kind of relationship they're in, huh?"

"It's not like that!" Jaune failed to convince them as they, without any considerations for his feelings, all hastily shuffled away from him. Letting out another sigh, his shoulders slumped down. "I really wish Kumagawa would stop doing that."

"Stop doing what?" Ruby popped up behind him, with a bottle of water in hand. "Sorry, I had to thank the girl for directions. We started talking, and it got pretty long, which made me thirsty, so I took the chance to refill my water too."

"It's okay, you didn't miss much. It's just… Kumagawa." Jaune scratched his head as he looked at his first companion that just ran off and started talking to a girl with a ponytail wearing a white dress, with a pale blue at the edges. "I've only known him for a bit, and the only thing I can used to describe him is… random."

Letting out a giggle, Ruby nodded in agreement. When Kumagawa pointed at her, she gave him a light wave back. "Yeah. He's great, isn't he?"

"Ummm, are we talking to the same person?" Jaune looked down at Ruby, who was looking at Kumagawa with affection. Looking back, he realized how much she was blushing when they were together; he put two and two together. "Do… do you like him?"

Doing a spit-take, Ruby vigorously put her hands up and waved refusingly. "No, no, no! I think he's cool, but like… in kind of a friend-friend way? Anyway, it's not what you think!"

Dubious, Jaune just smiled and gave her a light nod of acknowledgement. "Okay, if you say so-"

Suddenly, an interruption. The combination of the perfect acoustics seem to allow a thundering slap to echo across the auditorium. The two of them, along with the crowd, naturally had their eyes drawn to the source, to see that Kumagawa was lying down on the floor with a red handprint across his cheek. Standing slightly away from him, the girl he had been talking to crossed her arms together and stormed off in a huff, sending out glares to Kumagawa and anyone that stood in his path.

"I looked away for one second…" Despite his tone of annoyance, Jaune had a soft smile on his face. "Come on, let's go get Kumagawa before he does… well, anything, again."

"Yup. He seems to love trouble wherever it is. Lead the way, J-man." Ruby gestured for him to move forward.

He gave her a raised eyebrow at that nickname. "J-man?"

"No good?"

"No good. Let's leave the nicknames for Kumagawa. After all, he did think up of Crater-face."

"Hey!" Ruby lightly punched Jaune for that jest. "We promised not mention that." As they sauntered over to Kumagawa, the two were smiling and laughing the entire way, looking like close friends to any outsider's perspective.


	4. Chapter 3: Screwing with the Angel

**Thanks for Ordon and LordofBones for being beta readers.  
**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

The Faunus' scornful gazes. The friendly smiles lacking sincerity. Words of praise that are nothing but empty flattery.

Nothing changed. She would never allow herself to show it, but she was mad. Angry with herself. Upset that she was so naive.

That's right. Even though she was no longer in Solitas, she could not escape its influence.

"My name is Weiss Schnee."

Those words were like a magic spell; the moment they were said, she was no longer "Weiss."  
Their expressions would mutate into the revolting familiar smiles, their masks at a masquerade; they could only see her as a "Schnee."

Naive. Naive. Naive. So naive.

She would never be seen as anything else. They would always see her as an extension of her father. Nothing but that.  
She bit her tongue to prevent the frustration from showing on her face.

Lost in thought, her gaze wandered for a moment and she failed to notice the girl in red walking towards her briefcases of Dust. With a loud thud, the soon-to-be classmate ran into the cart, knocking over the containers with the labels "FRAGILE" stamped over them.

Weiss took a look at the young girl lying on the ground who picked up and handed a briefcase back to her. The stranger gave her an awkward smile, clearly embarrassed about what she had done.

If she introduced herself as, "Weiss Schnee," will the girl's expression change, just like all the others? Will she look on with fear? Or will she manufacture a forced smile?

 _If this is the Schnee they expect, then this is the Schnee I will present._

She could hardly recall the specifics of what she said to the young girl. All she remembered were some harsh words, flaunting her status before she stomped away.

Walking to the auditorium, she recalled her father's words that haunted her all the way from Atlas.

 _The Schnees do not settle for anything short of perfection._ As such, she would prove herself to be better than anyone else here.

Making the rounds, her soon-to-be classmates all surrounded her.

They all approached her with a natural smile. The moment they exchanged introductions, their expressions shifted.  
To the same forced smile. The same phrases.

"It's an honor, Miss Schnee."  
"I have nothing but respect, Miss Schnee."  
"I'm sure you will excel, Miss Schnee."

These words were spoken without any substance or sincerity. And she responded to their 'wishes,' all the same.

With the face and front of a Schnee, she 'smiled,' back. "Of course. I am a Schnee, after all."

After meeting dozens of students, she was approached by someone that her initial perception can only describe as _different_. He wore a black uniform, which contrasted and clashed with the kaleidoscope of colorful outfits worn by the other students. And…

[Hello. My name is Kumagawa Misogi. It is nice to meet you.] With a smile on his face, he took a deep bow that lacked refinement.

"Likewise. I'm Weiss Schnee."

[Greetings, Weiss. How are you liking Beacon so far?] She watched his expression, fully expecting some change, some recognition of her. But, much to her surprise, the boy's smile remained unmoved.

"I… ahem, I have found it quite ordinary so far. Nothing has been outside my realm of expectation."

[Really? My previous school was nothing like this. It's really quite interesting.] Kumagawa spun in a circle, casting his arms out towards the room. [A curriculum to create heroes! Isn't that such an exciting concept?]

"I suppose it it is. By how you describe it, did you not attend a combat school before this?"

[Nope! I was recruited by the Headmaster!]

Weiss' looked him up and down, trying to draw her own evaluation. _I see… That at least speaks of his abilities, if he is able to attend Beacon without combat school training._ [What about you?] The boy asked, seemingly not noticing how she had appraised him. [You seem to know what you're doing, already acquainting and befriending yourself with most of the people in this room.]

"It is only natural. After all, we will likely be spending four years together. It will be good to know what everyone has to offer."

[Right, right, I'm glad you agree! It's important to make friends.] Much to Weiss's disbelief, Kumagawa's smile grew. [I have already made one here!] He pointed to a relatively short girl with a red cape that Weiss immediately recognized as the one who had collided with her briefcases. [I hope you will be able to join in that growing list.]

"Perhaps. I can say you did not choose wrongly to wish to be an acquaintance of mine. However…" Her eyes narrowed at Kumagawa's friend, remembering her lack of caution. "I would suggest you remain prudent for who you choose to be around you." Her pointed tone and words appeared to pass right over Kumagawa's head as he nodded along receptively.

[I see, I see. That certainly is good advice.] Kumagawa looked down for just a bit, causing Weiss to fail to see the change in his expression. [Is it fun?]

"I… beg your pardon?"

[I asked, is it fun? To so easily look down on others? To flaunt your superiority?] Kumagawa confidently treaded closer towards her, and his clear blue eyes that stared directly at hers caused her to clamp up; he continued his barrage, not letting a word of protest through from Weiss. [Don't you think it's naive? To decide others' value based on what they can do for you?] His smile changed into a hollowed frown. [Your eyes look down from so far up. I wonder who you learned this from? I bet you must want to be-]

Weiss's hand moved before she realized what she was doing. A loud slap rang out across the auditorium. "I… I will never be like my father." With a whisper, she briskly walked out of the room. Once again biting her tongue, she prevented the tears and indignation from showing in her expression.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Ruby was the first to reach Kumagawa, who quickly dusted himself off as he got back on his feet. "What did you do?"

[I'm a-okay!] Kumagawa returned her concern with his usual smile, while a red handprint mark was still on his face. [She just reminded me of someone, and she said…] He paused, looking at Ruby with his head cocked to the side. [Wait, why did you assume it was my fault?!]

Jaune came over and lightly tapped him on the head. "Because you tend to say things to annoy people, Screw Boy?" The perfect riposte was accompanied by a look of immeasurable disappointment from the two, causing him to scratch his head sheepishly. "I'll… keep trying."

[Well, I'm sure it's fine. After all-] Wrapping his arms around them, Kumagawa pulled them closer. [With enemies like these, who needs friends?]

"I'm pretty sure it's the other way around, Kumagawa." Jaune and Ruby giggled as they replied in sync.

Before Kumagawa could reply in protest, the sound of the mic reverberated around the room to draw everyone's attention toward Ozpin who stood on top of the podium. Everyone quieted down and the trio followed suit.

The headmaster walked up toward the front of the podium, tapping his microphone to ensure he had everyone's attention. With a stern and monotone voice, he began speaking. "I'll... keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step." Without another glance at the students, Ozpin stepped away as Glynda took his place.

"You will gather in the ballroom tonight; tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed."

The room's silence was promptly washed away as conversations reignited between the upcoming students. Their group not an exception, Ruby looked at Jaune and said, "That was kinda weird. He seems… off, somehow?"

"Yeah, he seemed kind of like… when you're not paying attention in class because it's that boring." Jaune replied, and everyone nods in agreement, as they could relate.

[I'm sure he has a lot on his mind. Considering he has to teach those that can save or destroy the world in the future.] Kumagawa shrugged. [At least he wasn't as bad as the last headmaster I met.]

"What was he like-" Ruby was cut off, letting out a yelp as a large figure jumped on her from behind, wrapping her arms around Ruby in a tight embrace. Jaune resisted the urge to dodge out of the way with how quickly the stranger was moving.

"Hey, Rubes! Working hard, I see. Want to introduce me to your friends?" The female blonde flashed them a confident and radiant smile, as Ruby flailed around trying to break free.

"Don't tease me in front of my new friends!" Ruby finally broke free, and scratched her cheek embarrassingly. "Jaune, Kumagawa, this is my sis, Yang. Yang, the one with the sword is Jaune, and the one wearing the school uniform is Kumagawa."

"Hey, you look kinda familiar." Yang got closer to Jaune, and snapped her finger in realization. "Oh yeah, Vomit Boy! Oh man, my friends were sure you-"

"Yang!" Ruby exclaimed, shaking her head and stopping Yang before she continued any further.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you. Hope you get along with my little sis. Same to you, Kumagawa." He gave a small nod in response. "What are you guys doing in the next couple of hours?"

Jaune felt his empty stomach stir and spoke up. "Well, I could go for a couple of burgers right now."

Without skipping a beat, Kumagawa immediately quipped. [Let's hope that this time it doesn't end up on top of one of Vale's buildings.]

"Can we just-" Jaune sighed as his embarrassment resurfaces. "Please drop that."

With a shrug, Kumagawa looked towards Ruby and Yang. [What about you two? Would you like to get food?]

Yang answered first. "Maybe next time. I just wanted to drop by to check up on Rubes, so now I'm going back with my friends. You guys have fun." She walked away without a backwards glance at Ruby.

Jaune looked at Ruby as she looked at Yang longly, wanting to say something; however, in the end Ruby just nodded along. "Okay, let's go."

As they left the auditorium, Jaune caught Kumagawa with a smirk, peering off at where Yang had walked off to, before putting on his customary smile.

* * *

"So… the main character always wins?" Ruby looked at Kumagawa dubiously as the trio huddled around the large magazine Kumagawa had in his hands.

[Mmm… Not necessarily. But when they lose, it only makes them stronger. They're an entity that will win when it matters. Even when the situation is bleak, they will come up with a strategy to turn the tables.] Kumagawa responded.

Ruby's eyes sparkled, grabbing the volume of Shonen Jump out of Kumagawa's hands, holding it up as it were like a treasure or holy book. "So they're basically fairy tale heroes! Cool! How come I never knew about this before?"

[They're unique from where I came from. If you like them, I can lend you the rest.] Ruby's eyes shone as if they had fireworks going off within them.

"So I understand the concept, but isn't reading this… repetitive?" Jaune interjected. "I mean, you always know what's going to happen. Not to mention, it gives an illusion of what a real life hero would be like."

Kumagawa didn't have a chance to answer before Ruby jumped in. "That's the appeal! That's the ideal we should all strive for! Did… did you not like it?" With puppy eyes, she looked at Jaune.

"No, no! I mean, the idea of a hero like that was what made me want to become a Huntsman in the first place!" Everyone else inside the ballroom looked at Jaune at the heartfelt outburst confession. "Ahem… I mean…"

"I'm glad you agree. Kumagawa, what about you?"

[Of course I believe in them. I believe in their existence unequivocally!] He gave her a thumbs up.

"We're all kindred spirits, then." Ruby replied. _Even though it's the first day, it's been so much fun to be with them._ "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if we ended up in the same team? Just imagine it, Jaune knocking back Grimm with his sword and shield, Kumagawa launching screws everywhere, and me going woosh and cutting apart Grimm! We'd be just like the heroes in these comics, fighting and winning with friendship!"

"That would be nice." Jaune looked down at his sword, lightly tapping the hilt. With a bittersweet smile, he says, "but unfortunately, I don't think we get to decide our own teams."

[It's more likely that we're all separated into different teams.] Ruby felt a tang of pain tug at her heart. [And fight and compete against each other.] The pain intensified as she realized that was the truth of the situation. [And probably have someone that we can't get along with in our team.] She fought the desire to cover her face in her hands dejectedly. [I mean, it's not even likely we were even in the same cla-]

Before Kumagawa could finish, a light thud on his head stopped him from continuing his list of the worst case scenario. "Can you stop? You're clearly upsetting my sister. Oh, and upsetting Jaune too." The newcomer pushed Kumagawa away, sitting in the space between him and Ruby. "Besides, you don't know how teams are selected. Maybe you could influence it in some way."

"Hey Yang. Thanks for trying to cheer me up. But Kumagawa's right." Ruby gave out a smile and tried to regain some of her optimism. "I should learn to try and get along with more people, in case that does end up happening. It shouldn't be too hard, right?" _I mean, I did manage to make two friends on my own, after all._

Kumagawa merely hummed in agreement, while Jaune responded in a snap. "Right. Well, I couldn't imagine anyone hating you. They must be a pretty terrible person to do that, and then they wouldn't be worth your attention. I'm sure you will be fine."

Bolstered by the encouragement, Ruby decided to jump to action. "Yeah! I think I can even make another friend today!" Taking a deep breath, she looked around the room for someone to possibly talk to. Her eyes got drawn to the girl that defended her from Weiss earlier today. The girl in the black bow had a book out while she sat against the wall. "I'm going to thank that girl for helping me earlier today."

Ruby got up and left with Yang following a short distance behind her.

* * *

Jaune looked at the two girls that just left and then back to Kumagawa. "Aren't you joining them?"

[Nope! Unlike Ruby, I have no reason to make friends. And I definitely don't have anything to thank that girl for.] Kumagawa pulled out another volume of Shonen Jump and began reading.

Jaune decided to vocalize his thoughts now that Ruby wasn't here. "Hey, Kumagawa, are you okay?"

[Whatever do you mean?] Kumagawa replied without looking up from his magazine.

"I know we've only known each other since today, and I guess it's kinda pompous that I even bring this up, but… you don't sound as sure- or I guess enthused, the same way Ruby was enthusiastic about it." Jaune waited for Kumagawa to stop him, but his friend didn't say anything. "What I'm saying is… If you're just going along with what she said just to agree and be friendly with her, that's okay. But I feel like she really feels like you two are the same, and if that isn't the case- I think you should let her know."

After a few seconds, Kumagawa came to a pause. Jaune noticed that he had stopped at a new chapter. _Oh, so he wasn't just ignoring me._ [You bring up a good point, Jaune. Yes, true friends should be honest towards each other. Just as you were honest about your feelings there. But you don't need to worry about that. I'm not the type of person that would lie to his friends.]

"Okay." Jaune realized just how open he was, despite the fact they only just met today. "I'm sorry if that was too much. For whatever reason, it was really easy to bring that up with you. I just feel comfortable around you."

[Well, I feel so comfortable around you too, Jaune.] Kumagawa puts his arms around Jaune's shoulders. [So comfortable in fact, that…] Kumagawa's face inched closer and closer to his.

The blonde tried to pull away with no avail. "Wait… stop… I'm not r-"

[That I'm going to make you sit through this very awkward and uncomfortable talk.] Kumagawa wrapped his arms around Jaune's shoulder, preventing his escape.

"Huh?"

Looking around the room, Kumagawa eyes locked onto the girl in the white dress. Waving enthusiastically, he beckoned her over. Jaune recognized her as the one who had slapped Kumagawa earlier. [I'm not going to be alone, you know!] He yelled across the room. [So eyeballing me like that for the last thirty minutes isn't going to work.] With how loud Kumagawa was, the room's eyes fell upon her. She pretended to not have heard him, but Kumagawa just shouted again. [Hello, Weiss? Friend I made today? Girl in the white dress!]

Unable to ignore the attention any longer, Weiss stood up; hesitation in her steps, she shuffled over towards them. _Do I have finally get to know what happened with Kumagawa the moment I look away?_ Jaune thought to himself.

"Good evening, Kumagawa." After a small curtsy, she looked at Jaune. "And who is your friend here?"

"Jaune. Nice to meet you." He gave a light nod to her in acknowledgment.

"Nice to meet you, _Jaune._ I would like to have a conversation with Kumagawa. In private, if possible." Weiss scowled at him as he remained seated.

"I would like to, but, um…" Jaune looked at the arms wrapped around his shoulder. "Someone has a different idea…"

[No, there's no reason for him to leave.] As if his smile widened, Kumagawa looked back at Weiss with a smug expression. [There's nothing that can't be said without my friend listening in as well.]

Jaune could feel the tension as these two's words clashed. His attempt to get away failed as Kumagawa tightened his grip. "Umm… Kuma-"

[So, what is it that you wanted to say?] Giving a polite half-smile at Weiss, Jaune tried his best to ignore the topic of the conversation. _Think distracting thoughts: Soccer… my sisters… my inevitable failure at this school… Wait, don't think about that! How about… how pretty this girl is?_ Jaune took another look at Weiss, and realized that even amidst the appealing girls that he met today, she'd still outclassed them. _Oh no, now I'm focusing too much on her._ He realized he was now staring at her, and paying _too much_ attention onto her.

Which meant his attempt to pretend he wasn't listening didn't work.

"I gave some thought to our quarrel this morning, and I decided that we should be _civil_ in coming to an understanding." Weiss said with a smile.

[Of course. That's what friends would do.] With a nod, Kumagawa looked at Weiss. [What do you want to say?]

"I will take the first step." Weiss curtsied again. "No matter what you said, there was no reason for me to have resorted to physical violence. Therefore, I apologize for having slapped you."

[I accept your apology.] Kumagawa went back to reading.

Weiss cleared her throat. " _Ahem."_ Kumagawa didn't even look up. "Well, do you have some words for me? Perhaps regarding the contents of what you said? Perhaps an _apology_?" She was having difficulties keeping her smile as it became increasingly strained.

Kumagawa rubbed his chin contemplatively, and then looked on her with a blank smile on his face. [I don't know why I would apologize. I didn't say anything wrong. After all-] Kumagawa pulled Jaune closer, until their face was side by side. [I learned today that friends have to be honest with each other.] Jaune felt his words bite back at him. [And so, I only said the truth… I'm not sorry, because it's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's your fault for letting what I said bother you.]

"Excuse me?!" Weiss lost her cool, and glared back at Kumagawa with daggers in her voice. "I hardly think pointing out someone else's flaws so presumptuously whilst being rude, especially on the first meeting, could be my fault?"

With a sinister smirk, Kumagawa looked back at her. [I see. What I said wasn't what bothered you. You're bothered because you've never had anyone close enough to tell you what they really thought. It scares you. It frightens you. That this is what being treated as an equal, being friends, means. In the end you're just-]

She cuts him off. "I see there's no reasoning with you. I hope you enjoy your four years at Beacon." Turning her back at him, Weiss stomped off. Jaune noticed her curled fists were trembling, as if she were trying her utmost to hold onto her emotions.

Jaune sighed as Kumagawa released his grip. "Kumagawa, I know what I said, but… you know there's something known as too much honesty… And I think she's right, you know. You can't just assume these things about her." With that, Jaune gets up and runs after her.

Leaving the ballroom, he turned the corner to find her walking off. He grabbed her shoulder to try and stop her. "Hey-"

"I see you're-" Weiss turned around, and nothing could hide the disappointment from showing on her face. "Oh. It's you. So, Jaune, have you come to rub salt into the wound?"

"What? No, no no!" Jaune shook his head vigorously. "Umm, I actually came to apologize."

"Apologize? I don't recall you doing anything wrong."

"Well, maybe, yeah... But I probably could and should have stopped him." _Not to mention that I felt like I worsened the situation by telling Kumagawa to 'tell the truth.' Have to work on my delivery for that one._ _At least for Kumagawa. "_ I don't think he really meant any of that. He just likes say things to get on people's nerves. If you just talk him normally, I'm sure you'll find he's actually a pretty nice guy."

Weiss smiled at him. His chest tightened, feeling as if his heart literally skipped a beat. "Thank you, Jaune. I appreciate your attempt at reconciliation."

"Umm… yeah. Sure. No problem. Sorry, again. I'll always be around if you umm… want to talk. Yeah." Jaune looked away in embarrassment. "Anyway, it's getting late, so I'm going to go back."

"Good night, Jaune." Weiss said, before continuing on her way.

He hurriedly shuffled back to the ballroom, hiding his face and his reddened expression, until he got back to Kumagawa.

Taking a seat next to him, Jaune gave him a light chop to the head. "It seems like your words didn't hurt her too badly. I know I said to be honest, but that doesn't mean to attack their character. You have to find a balance. Anyways, I apologized for you, so be nicer to her next time."

[Oh, Jaune.] Kumagawa said with a grin on his face. [You're so predictable. You're such a nice guy, that if you see a girl hurting, you can't help but try and comfort them.]

"Well, yeah, of course-" A click went through Jaune's head. "No way, you didn't push her just so I could go and console her, right?"

[And improve your relationship.] Sticking his tongue out while lightly tapping on the side of his head, he let out a playful 'teehee.' [I did say I'd be your wingman, after all.]

Jaune gave him another chop to the head, a little harder this time. "Kumagawa, you can't be mean just so I can be nice to someone. That's not right. Don't cast yourself into the role of the villain just to help someone out." For whatever reason, the phrase felt particularly _right_ when describing Kumagawa.

[Okay~] With a halfhearted acquiescence, Kumagawa hummed back in agreement. Before Jaune could continue rebuking him, Glynda entered the ballroom and yelled out to everyone.

"It is now curfew, meaning lights out. Everyone head to your sleeping area."

[Darn. Looks like it's time to head to bed. See you tomorrow, Jaune!] Kumagawa scampered off to his sleeping area.

 _Well, I'll see him tomorrow to talk about it. Besides, I'm sure he just had misguided intentions in how to help me. Kumagawa may be a bit too straightforward, but he's not a bad person._ With that, Jaune rolled himself up in his sleeping bag and drifted off to dreamland.

* * *

[How unlucky. I failed to become friends with such a cute girl. I even provoked her to the point of almost crying. And Jaune couldn't make use of it to break his laughable tragic and strikingly unfortunate role of comedic relief.]

[Looks like, once again- I couldn't win.]

* * *

 **Learning to Human chapter should be up this weekend. We'll see.**


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